title: Prenatal exposure to persistent organochlorines and childhood obesity in the US collaborative perinatal project.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In some previous studies, prenatal exposure to persistent organochlorines such as 1,1,-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene (p,p´-DDE), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) has been associated with higher body mass index (BMI) in children.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our goal was to evaluate the association of maternal serum levels of β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH), p,p´-DDE, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p,p´-DDT), dieldrin, heptachlor epoxide, HCB, trans-nonachlor, oxychlordane, and PCBs with offspring obesity during childhood.
  
  
  METHODS
  The analysis was based on a subsample of 1,915 children followed until 7 years of age as part of the U.S. Collaborative Perinatal Project (CPP). The CPP enrolled pregnant women in 1959-1965; exposure levels were measured in third-trimester maternal serum that was collected before these organochlorines were banned in the United States. Childhood overweight and obesity were defined using age- and sex-specific cut points for BMI as recommended by the International Obesity Task Force.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adjusted results did not show clear evidence for an association between organochlorine exposure and obesity; however, a suggestive finding emerged for dieldrin. Compared with those in the lowest quintile (dieldrin, < 0.57 μg/L), odds of obesity were 3.6 (95% CI: 1.3, 10.5) for the fourth and 2.3 (95% CI: 0.8, 7.1) for the highest quintile. Overweight and BMI were unrelated to organochlorine exposure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this population with relatively high levels of exposure to organochlorines, no clear associations with obesity or BMI emerged.
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA. cupuluicabl@niehs.nih.gov
authors.forename: Lea A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Cupul-Uicab
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Klebanoff
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Brock
authors.forename: Matthew P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Longnecker
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated